Download Monks, Nuns and Lay People-Bhikshus, Bhikshunis, and Upasakas

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Monks, Nuns and Lay People-Bhikshus, Bhikshunis, and Upasakas
The community of people who practice Buddhism, or ‘Sangha’, can be divided into
two main groups: the ‘monastic’ Sangha, monks and nuns who live in monasteries
and nunneries, and the ‘lay’ Sangha, Buddhists who live the ordinary family life of a
householder. There has always been a strong relationship between these two types of
Sangha but, before we look at this, we need to understand a few basic terms.
Buddhist Monks and Nuns: ‘Bhikshus’ and ‘Bikshunis’
Nowadays ‘bhikshu’ is usually translated as ‘monk’ and ‘bhikshuni’ as ‘nun’.
Actually, the proper translation of these words is ‘man who shares’ and ‘woman who
shares’. They are called this because, whenever donations are made to the monastic
Sangha, each is given a share of that donation to help them survive.
When someone becomes a bhikshu they promise to keep around 250 vows. Present
day bhikshunis keep 348. Probably the most important of these vows is the promise
not to become involved in any sexual activity. The reason bhikshus and bhikshunis
take this vow is because they have made a decision to spend there lives studying and
meditating on the Buddha’s teaching, the Dharma, and they don’t want to be
distracted from doing this. Bhikshus and bhikshunis see sexual activity and all the
things that go with it: relationships, children, house, job, and money, as a massive
distraction from their chosen way of life, and so they vow not to have sex.
As with the vow against sexual activity, many of the other vows that bhikshus and
bhikshunis keep are to help them get better at meditation. There is a vow against
eating after noon, for example. This is because eating makes the mind feel heavy and
sleepy. Not eating after noon makes it easier to meditate at night without nodding off
every few minutes.
Buddhist Lay People-‘Upasakas’
The term ‘upasaka’ is usually translated as ‘lay follower’ (the female is ‘upasika’). A
layperson is someone who is not a member of the monastic Sangha and lives the
ordinary family life. Upasakas keep the 5 precepts or ‘Panchasila’.
Some people think that, because the Buddha lived the life of a bhikshu, the upasaka
way of life is not right. But the Buddha did not say that the monastic life was right and
the layperson’s life was wrong. Rather he gave teachings to suit the two different
kinds of lifestyle. So, in the ‘Sermon on Blessing’, the Buddha said:
‘To support one’s father and mother,
To care for one’s wife and children,
To have a peaceful occupation,
This is the highest blessing.’
KS3 Buddhism, lesson 14: Monks, Nuns, and Lay People
G Beesley & the Dechen Community
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The Relationship Between the Lay and Monastic Sangha
Throughout the centuries there has always been a strong relationship between the lay
and monastic sangha. However, the nature of this relationship was different in
different parts of the Buddhist world. Now that Buddhism has reached the West it has
changed again and it continues to do so.
Buddhism in South East Asia
Not all Buddhists have lots of time to study and meditate. This is particularly the case
for those with family responsibilities. In countries like Thailand and Sri Lanka, lay
Buddhists get over this problem by looking after the monastic Sangha.
Because lay Sangha make offerings of food and clothing to the monastic Sangha, the
bhikshus can devote lots of time to study and meditation, and get closer to their final
goal of nirvana. By making offerings like this, the lay Sangha believe they are
creating lots of good karma. In return for their kindness, the monastic Sangha teach
Dharma to the lay people and guide them along the path to nirvana.
This kind of relationship, where the lay Sangha provide the monastic Sangha with
their worldly needs, and the monastic Sangha provide the lay people with their
religious ones, has been part of the make-up of a number of South East Asian
Buddhist societies for hundreds and hundreds of years.
Buddhism in Tibet
The situation in Tibet was slightly different to this. Here, just as in South East Asia,
the lay Sangha provided the monastic Sangha with their worldly needs and, in return,
the monastic Sangha provided the lay people with their religious ones. However, in
Tibet there was a much greater emphasis on meditation in the lay Sangha. So, it was
not unusual to find lay people getting up very early to do meditation before they
started work, nor was it unusual to find lay Sangha teaching other lay people the
Dharma. In fact, only one of the four main schools of Tibetan Buddhism was founded
by monks!
Buddhism in the West
Buddhism is relatively new in the West. In some ways, the relationship between the
lay and monastic Sangha is similar to before but in other ways it is very different.
Some Buddhist Sanghas have a mixture of members, some Westerners and some who
have come from another country and settled in the West, for example, the Thai
Buddhist Sangha. In their case, the relationship between the lay Sangha and the
monastic one has been ‘imported’: people of both Asian and Western origin become
monks and nuns, they spend their time in study and meditation, and the lay Sangha
support them. However, because many Westerners are interested in meditation, the
lay Sangha involved in these particular groups are perhaps more involved in actual
meditation practice than they were in South East Asia.
KS3 Buddhism, lesson 14: Monks, Nuns, and Lay People
G Beesley & the Dechen Community
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Among the Tibetan Sangha, most of the followers in the West are Western lay people.
As a result of an invasion in the 1950’s, many of the monasteries in Tibet were
destroyed and Tibetan Buddhism was driven out of its home. Nowadays, the majority
of the Tibetan monastic Sangha live in settlements in India and Nepal. While many
Tibetan groups in the West continue to support monks and nuns living in these
settlements, there is a massive emphasis among Western lay Sangha on study and
meditation. This is because they believe that it is very important to preserve the
Tibetan Buddhist tradition and that, since there are fewer and fewer Tibetan monastic
Sangha, the responsibility for that preservation lies with them.
TASKS
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What are the two main groups of Buddhist Sangha?
What does ‘bhikshu’ mean? Why do they use this name?
What is an ‘upasaka’?
How many vows does:
• A)a bhikshu keep?
• B) a bhikshuni keep?
• C) an upasaka keep?
Why do bhikshus and bhikshunis give up all sexual activity?
Why don’t they eat after midday?
Did the Buddha say it was wrong to have a family? Give reasons for your
answer.
Do you agree with what the Buddha said in the Sermon on Blessing?
Why/why not?
Explain the type of relationship that existed between the lay and monastic
Sangha in South East Asian countries. Include the reasons why a lay Buddhist
is happy to make offerings to bhikshus in your answer.
How is this relationship different from the one that existed between the lay and
monastic Sangha in Tibet.
That relationship has changed again since Buddhism came to the West.
Explain how.
Why do you think so many Western people have become interested in
Buddhism?
Think of some reasons why a bhikshu or bhikshuni might find it hard to live in
the West.
You have decided to become a bhikshuni/bhikshu. Write a letter to your
parents explaining why.
In the Sigalavada Sutra, the Buddha said a good husband should respect his
wife, be kind to her, be faithful, share authority in family matters, and buy her
gifts. In return, a good wife should keep the house well, treat her husband’s
family as her own, be faithful, look after the family finances, and do her jobs
well. Do you think he would have to adjust the lists for the 21st century?
Why/why not?
Write your own set of rules for how a husband and wife should treat each
other.
KS3 Buddhism, lesson 14: Monks, Nuns, and Lay People
G Beesley & the Dechen Community